Trevor Francis, an ex-Rangers midfielder and Britain’s first £1 million player, died at the age of 69.
Graeme Souness’s first £1 million player spent a season at Ibrox.
Trevor Francis, a former Rangers midfielder, died at the age of 69.
The Englishman spent the 1987/88 season at Ibrox, where he helped the club win the Scottish League Cup, netting a penalty in the shootout victory over Aberdeen at Hampden Park. Francis was a teammate of the then-Rangers manager Graeme Souness at Italian Serie A side Sampdoria. He cost the Light Blues only £75,000 and left after one season to join Queens Park Rangers, where he eventually became player-manager.
Francis earned 52 England caps and made history when he went to Nottingham Forest from Birmingham City in 1979, becoming the country’s first £1 million player. It was money wisely spent because he helped Brian Clough’s team win back-to-back European Cups. He also played for Manchester City and Atalanta before concluding his career at Sheffield Wednesday. He then took over as manager of the Owls, as well as Birmingham City and Crystal Palace.
“Trevor Francis died at the age of 69,” his family said in a statement. He had a heart attack this morning in his apartment in Spain. This has come as a tremendous shock to everyone in the family. We are all quite upset. He was a fantastic footballer, but he was also a wonderful person.”
“All at Rangers Football Club are today saddened to hear of the passing of our former player Trevor Francis, at the age of 69,” Rangers said in a statement. In this awful occasion, our thoughts are with his family.”
